The present invention relates to a selection manifold for a beverage dispenser, such as a post-mix carbonated beverage dispensing system.
A post-mix carbonated beverage dispensing system makes its own carbonated water from a supply of municipal or well water, and then distributes the carbonated water to a plurality of post-mix valves. Each post-mix valve mixes carbonated water with syrup and effects dispensing of a complete beverage. These dispensers are typically found in fast food retailers, theaters, convention centers, sports facilities and the like, and are most often used to fill cups with beverage.
Most all of these plural flavor post-mix dispensers have some type of structure to distribute carbonated water from a single source which may be single or plural carbonator to a plurality of dispensing valves. There typically will be a minimum of four dispensing valves, and it is common to see up to twelve dispensing valves being supplied from a single carbonator.
Recently, consumers have desired the option of purchasing non-carbonated beverages at locations served by post-mix carbonated beverage systems. As a result, manufactures of such beverage dispensing systems have started to provide one or more valves that are connected to a source of chilled but non-carbonated water. These valves then mix a syrup with the non-carbonated water to provide a non-carbonated drink, such as lemonade.
While this additional consumer choice is good for the establishment selling the beverages, it causes problems for the equipment manufacturers and suppliers. Heretofore, the equipment has been built with a fixed number and position of valves that that are supplied with non-carbonated water. The problem is that consumer preferences change, or are unknown at the time equipment has to be purchased and installed. Thus, a beverage dispenser may be installed at a location with only one valve configured to dispense a non-carbonated beverage. However, in actual use, it may be determined that consumers would rather have other types of non-carbonated beverages than the type of carbonated beverage being dispensed. If a user wanted a different selection, so that more valves can dispense non-carbonated beverages, or wants to move the position of the dispenser valves from which non-carbonated beverages are dispensed, the beverage dispensing equipment would have to be modified. While this is difficult and expensive at best, it may be impossible in some systems because the systems are built so that the water (carbonated or non-carbonated) lines are insulated right up to the point where they attach onto the dispensing valves. Therefore, any change would require a complete tearing apart of the equipment.
To add flexibility to beverage dispensers, valve systems have been developed that allow a single dispensing valve to serve either carbonated or non-cabonated beverages. For example, post-mix valves are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,142 to Castaldi and U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,348 to Guadalupi. These systems are switchable, such that either carbonated or non-carbonated water will be delivered by a given dispensing valve. While these post-mix valves provide dispensing valves that can be adjusted at a customer site, neither system enables the valves to be secured in position so as to prevent unintentional switching from one type of water to the other. Further, neither system allows an inspector to easily determine whether a given valve is positioned to deliver carbonated or non-carbonated water.
Thus, there is a need for an improved beverage dispensing equipment that is more versatile, so that an equipment user can more easily change the configuration of the equipment so that different types of beverages can be dispensed as consumer preferences are learned or change.
A selection manifold has been invented for use with a beverage dispenser that allows the user to easily change the dispenser""s configuration. In the preferred embodiment, any dispensing valve on a dispenser can be converted from dispensing a carbonated beverage to a non-carbonated beverage. Additionally, the preferred selection manifold is preferably constructed to enable a selection mechanism to be locked into position to prevent inadvertent switching to a non-selected supply line. Also, the selection manifold is preferably configured to permit ready determination of the status of each selection mechanism in the manifold.
In one aspect, the invention is a selection manifold for use with a beverage dispenser comprising:
a) a manifold block containing at least one cell, each cell having an outlet opening and at least first and second inlet openings; and
b) a selector mechanism associated with each cell, the selector mechanism being actuable between
i) a first position in which fluid entering the cell from the first inlet opening may pass to the outlet opening and fluid from the second inlet is prevented from entering the cell, and
ii) a second position in which fluid entering the cell from the second inlet opening may pass to the outlet opening and fluid from the first inlet opening is prevented from entering the cell.
In a first aspect, the foregoing selector mechanism includes a lock to prevent the unintentional change of the selector mechanism between the first and second positions. In another aspect, the foregoing selector mechanism includes a portion that extends past and an outer edge of the manifold block enabling a viewer to determine the position of the selector mechanism associated with each cell.
In another aspect, a beverage selection manifold comprises:
a) a cell within a manifold body, the cell including an outlet orifice and first and second inlet orifices; and
b) a removable cap including a channel therein positionable adjacent to the cell in a first cap position and a second cap position, wherein the channel allows fluid communication between the outlet orifice and the first inlet orifice in the first position and the outlet orifice and the second inlet orifice in the second position. the selector mechanism comprises a cap with a channel.
In yet another aspect, a selection manifold for use with a beverage dispenser comprises:
a) a manifold block containing at least one cell, each cell having an outlet opening positioned intermediate to first and second inlet openings; and
b) a selector mechanism associated with each cell, wherein the selector mechanism comprises a plunger valve having a seal, the seal of the selector mechanism being transversely actionable with respect to the outlet opening between
i) a first position in which fluid entering the cell from the first inlet opening may pass to the outlet opening and fluid from the second inlet is prevented from entering the cell, and
ii) a second position in which fluid entering the cell from the second inlet opening may pass to the outlet opening and fluid from the first inlet opening is prevented from entering the cell.
In a further aspect, a beverage selection manifold comprises:
a) a manifold block containing an outlet opening positioned intermediate to first and second opposed inlet openings; and
b) a fluid seal having a first seating surface opposite a second seating surface,
wherein the fluid seal is moveable to a first position in which the first seating surface seals the first inlet opening and the second inlet opening remains open, and to a second position in which the second seating surface seals the second inlet opening and the first inlet opening remains open.
In a first method, switching a supply line to a dispensing valve comprises a user selecting the fluid supply to a beverage valve by activating a fluid seal between a first position in which a first side of the fluid seal closes a first fluid supply line, while allowing fluid to flow through a second fluid supply line, and a second position in which a second side of the fluid seal closes the second fluid supply line, while allowing fluid to flow through the first fluid supply line.
In another method of practicing the invention, switching a supply line to a dispensing valve includes a user selecting the fluid supply to a beverage valve by positioning a cap in a first position in which a first side of the cap closes a first fluid supply line, while allowing fluid to flow through a second fluid supply line, and a second position in which a second side of the cap closes a second fluid supply line, while allowing fluid to flow through the first fluid supply line.
The invention and its advantages will best be understood in view of the attached drawings.